Flood situation grim in West Garo Hills

SHILLONG: Over 14,500 households in West Garo Hills district have been completely inundated due to the heavy flow of water in the river Bramhaputra following heavy rains for the past few days.

According to estimates, around 75,000 people in and around Phulbari and areas like Rajabala, Nolbari, Islampur etc., have been badly affected in the last two days due to the flood which worsened due to the backflow of the river Brahmaputra.

To make things worse, the Solartek-Majhipara embankment has been breached by 30-40 per cent thereby increasing the risk of nearby villages getting completely submerged.

West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi along with local legislator AT Mondal and other officials paid a visit to the affected areas on Saturday to take stock of the situation.

The Government delegation which visited the affected areas also held an emergent meeting whereby it was decided that 7,000 bags of sand will be placed at the Solartek-Majhipara embankment to ensure safety of the villagers.

Meanwhile, according to reports, around 45 households in the area have been inundated due to the heavy floods.

“The number of affected people may go up further as the administration is currently accessing the damage done by the floods,” sources said.

According to Bakshi, the relief work of supplying essential commodities to the affected people will start from Sunday morning, adding the occupants of the camps also asked for kerosene oil besides other amenities.

The district administration has opened five relief camps and ten more will start functioning on Sunday.

The Government would also supply clean drinking water for which a shallow tube water would be installed and the Health department has been alerted for providing medical attention to the affected victims.

The Civil Defence and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also been kept on stand-by.